Process of manufacturing carbureted water gas



Jan. 9, 1951 K. w. sTooKEY PROCESS OF MANUFACTURINGI CARBURETED WATER GAS Filed June 50, 1944 .mH HL,

' TTORA/Eyf Patented Jan. 9, 1951 @ENCE PROCESS 0F MANUFACTURING CARBURETED WATER GAS Kenneth W. S'tookey, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Gas Machinery4 Company, Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation 'of Ohio Application .rune so, 1944,` senin Np. 542,862

l The instant application is a continuation in part of my pending applications Serial Nos. 455,184 and 455,185, filed August 18, 1942, now abandoned, and the invention disclosed therein relates to improvements in well-known methods of manufacturing carbureted water gas in a gasmaking set including a generator, carbureting apparatus (usually a carbureter and a superheater and so herein shown and described), and a seal, all connected in a well-known manner, and equipped with the usual fixtures, such as pipes and valves, for supplying suitable media for upwardly blasting a fuel bedk in the generator, and for making up and down gas-making runs through the fuel bed, and for carbureting the water gas so made. Certain well-known methods of manufacturing carbureted water gas also include a reverse or down-blasting which is effected by admitting blasting air to the top of the generator, Certain well-known methods o-f manufacturing carbureted water gas include the use of heavy oil, such as bunker oil, for the carbureting medium, which heavy oil is sprayed upon the top of the fuel bed. Preferably, the working of the instant improved methods of carbureted water gas manufacture is effected in procedures in which heavy o-il is used as a carburefing medium and in which a down blasting of the generator fuel bed is practiced as a part of the cycle of operations.

'I'he aforedescribed well-known methods of manufacturing carbureted water gas do not serve to keep the top of the generator fuel bed sufciently hot when a soft fuel, such as bituminous coal,

petroleum coke, a combination of petroleum coke4 and an asphalt binder, or a coal and coke mixture,

is used as a generator fuel. The carbureting medium, particularly when it is heavy oil, which is i sprayed into the top of the generator during the run, has a cooling effect which is not counterbalanced by the usual air-blasting. Therefore,

the improvements of the instant application consist in a procedure which creates additional heat in the top of the generator, after a charging of fresh fuel and prior to the blasting phase of the subsequent cycle, thus assisting in Carbonia-ing upper part of the soft fuel charged into the generator and in preparing the generator lire for spraying the carbureting medium, particularly heavy oil, into the top of the generator during subsequent run periods.

The instant invention is particularly an improvement in the processes of manufacturing carbureted water gas shown, described and claimed in U. S. Patents Nos. 2,216,055 and 2 216,056, issued September 24, 1940, upon inventions of William-E. Steinwedell, in which heavy oil sprayed upon the top of the fuel bed is utilized as a car- I bureting medium, and in which a downward airblasting through the fuel bed with air admitted to the top of the generator is also utilized.

The instant improvements have particular advantages at times when hard fuels such as coke derived from soft` coal are difficult to obtain `or unusually expensive, and gas manufacturers must of necessity rely more on soft fuels.

The annexed drawing and the following de-Y scription set forth in detail certain steps villustrating my improved process, these steps constituting, however, but a few of the various series of steps by which the improved process may ybe worked.

The figure is a view, partly in elevation and y partly in vertical section, of apparatus for manufactoring carbureted water gas by the use of my The aforegoing elements represent a conventional assembly for the manufacture of carbureted water gas by one of the well-known back-run methods of manufacture, and as assisting tok this end,

a pipe l controlled by a valve l serves to supply air from a mainblast supply (not shown) to the bottom 4of the generator A, and pipes 2 and Il controlled by valves 2 and i i', respectively, serve to supply air to the top of the carburetor B from, the main blast supply. A further blast pipe I2',

which derives air from the main blast supply and is controlled by a valve I2', communicates with the to-p of the generator A adjacently above the top ofthe fuel bed, this pipe l2 having, according to the size of the gas-making set, multiple branches I3, if `desired and needed, the annexed drawing 'showing for illustrative purposes two of these branchesl3 which feed into opposite sides y of the generator A adjacently above the top of the fuel bed. This blast pipe I2 serves as a part ofthe means by which in my improved method the btuminouscoal fuel may be carbonized to cooling effect of the carbureting medium sprayed into the top of the generator during the run.

Steam pipes 4 and 8 co-ntrolled by valves 4'v and 8', respectively, feed into the air pipe I andthe top of the generator A. The steam pipe Il serves 5 also in some of its functions as means by which the improved procedures of the linstant application can be worked.

An alternate steam pipe 9 controlled by a valve 9 feeds into the pipe G. A pipe 5 controlled by`10 a valve 5 provides means for spraying'the car-1t bureting medium, preferably heavy oil,.1-into '1t-he' top of the generator upon the top of the fuel bed. The form of gas-making set shown is one; in which the hot gas valves for controllin'g'thell-5 direction of flow are located adjacent the seal D so an up-run hot gas valve 'I controls'lthenpipe G, and a down-run hot gas valve 6 controls they pipe Y H, whereby a form of back-run carbureted gas manufacture can be Worked. VThe superheater 20 stack "C' 'is' controlled'by avalve v3. The dipof thelpipeG into the seal D is in an amount sufficient to exceed the `effectof the pressure-in the 1 stack C.` An additional stack I0 is provided which communicates with' the pipeH and is controlled/25 by avalvef 0.

The top of the fuel .bed J is indicated by iandthis top layer of fuel 'is designed to represent a fresh fuel charge put into the generator, andwill` serve to explain somev of the steps of the'improvedfo procedure hereinafter fully outlined;

`The'fnanner of using-the aforedescribed appa-'J'l ratus'; when working the improvedv processlwilli' now` be described. Assuming-that a fresh'c'harge j of fuel into the generator A is called for, such 35 charging is effected, and then the generator 'bot' tom steam pipe `I is opened a'smallamountwhereby'the bottomof thegenerator A is filledwith steam as a matter of safety and'a'slight upward flow of blue gas through the generator fireA is i0 effected lwhich assists in carbonizing the Afreshly chargedV bituminous coal. Then the air'valve` I2 leading to lthe'generator above thefue'l bed is opened whichv effects a burning of the small" amount of blue gas passing upwardly through the' 45 fuel vbed and also of the coal'gas which 'is' gen- L erate'dby Vthe heat of the generatorl fire', the generatorwalls and the 11p-coming blue gas( This burning of the blue gas and the coal, gasin the", top of the generator creates additional heat in :5u such top and assists in carbonizing'the freshly charged coa'land preparing the' generator firevfor' spraying the carbureting medium: preferably" heavy oil; info the top of the generator 'A' during subsequent run periods.' Then the Lair valve I 2v '5,3 is closedpthe4 blast pipe I leading to thebottom' of thev'generator -Avis opened,`and"the steampipe'` 4 closed.` IThen the carburterblast -pipe A2 is l opened, it being assumed that Vduring"the""-pro'- cedure justV described all l'valves areI closed` except 'Gg thefstack yvalve. 3 and the up-run hot gas valve* 'I and the' other valves whose manipulationhas been mentioned. The-upward blasting'of the fuel bedfinv the generator AA resultingfromthe o-pening of theblastippe I effects the production of producer-'c5 and 'distilled coali gases' which :pass .throughzthe 1' connection E fromthe top of the 'generator A to the-.top `of thetcarbureter Band 'arerburned by air xadmitted through 'the carbureteriblast:pipefZfthis w burning-of the-blast gases :suitablyheatingethe-TFO checlrerworl:- in thecarbureterB and. the. 'super-HL heater C; ,-Thefresultant productsfaredischarged-21 throughthe open valve. 3:0f thestaekf-,G-f. Thenaif the.-=carbureter.blast .valvei 2. is closedaandfin succession, the generator up-blast valve I and-75 4 i the superheater stack valve 3, which places the apparatus in condition for an up-gas-making run.

This up-run is effected by opening the steam valve 4' which results in the formation of blue water gasl by the passage of steam through the heatedv fuel bed, which blue gasjis carbureted by a suitable medium, preferably heavy oil, admitted by opening the valve 5', the heavy oil being v'sprayed upon the top of the fuel bed and being cracked-and volatilized and mixing with the blue water-gas'- issuing from the fuel bed. This cracking of the heavy oil is expedited by the heat stored in the 'generatorA sidewall and the heating of the Ltopf the lfuelbed-vvhich have in part been effected by the described burning or blue water gas and coall gasg'enerated immediately subsequent to the-putting of the freshly charged fuel into the generator A. The cracked and volatilized heavy oil .mixed with the blue water gas passes through the" connection E to thecarbureter BV andthence to the superheater C and is permanently fixed by the. heated checkerbriclr. As has been stated, the

hot gasvalve I'in the pipe G is open so that the.l

resultant gases passintothe seal-D. VThe up-gas-y making run'is terminated by f'irstclcsing the .oil

valve 5 and 'then theup-run steam-valve 4. V

Th'en a-down-gas-'making run is effected by first opening the down-run hot gasvalve 6,and then closing the up`run hot gas valve 'I', and then opening the ldoWn-runsteam valve klwhic'h results vin the for'm'atio'nfof blue" water-.gas by the passage of` steam' downwardly through the fuel-:bed J which i blue :Water VVgas "issues fromr'thelbottom rof the generator'A and Spasses-by pipeI-I into pipe G and thenceinto the'seal- D. The down-'run is termi. nated-'byclosing` the steaml valve' 8v.

gasvalve 'I'is opened;the'idown-rungas valve 6 closed, the superheater stack valver3 opened and l the stack'valve' I0 closed.

The` additional heat that-.is created in the top 1 of the generator, to counterbalarice the'coolingef-r fect of theoil sprayed thereinto, as has-been 'de-.f scribed; may be created after the" charging vof the generator A with fresh fuel for`oneor more' bed "which rcommences the next cycle;v

" An. important refinement of thegeneral p'rocess'herein described consistsin admitting a-small amountof steam' to the bottomVV of the generatorl A concurrently','witnthe upward" air-blasting.v Thisxsteam* 'is -comparatively small in volume,""' preferably iv to ten' percent of the amountedL fmtted for the usual up-steam-gas-making. run, and is made available, of course, by opening the `valve `4 in the pipe 4 a suitable amount Of course, if the additional heat is being created in the top of the generator A subsequent to a fresh 'charging of the generator A, the valve-4 4 will lalready be open. The stem is admitted to the bottom of the generator A for only a comparatively small part of the upward air-blasting period, and is admitted during the initial part of this upward air-blasting period. The blue water Ition inthe generator side wall. These improvements are effected by driving the sensible heat of the fuel bed to the upper part of the generator.

i Under some conditions, it may be deemed es-` sential to effect a short blast-run during the up-blast. This may be effected by closing` the superheater stack valve 3 before the bottom generaor blast valve I is closed, thus terminating the up-blast period by a short blast-run.

Under someY conditions, it may be deemed essential to add carbureting medium to the fuel bed during part of the down-gas making run, as well as to carburet the blue water gas during the upgas-making run; in which case, the oil pipe valve 5 instead of being closed at the termination of the up-gas-making run, is allowed to remain open during part of the following down-gas-making run, this oil valve 5 then being closed at any desired time after opening the steam valve 8' which initiates the down-gas-making run.

Under some conditions, it may be desired to make a short down-blast run; in which case, theV4 blast valve I l adjacent the top of the carbureter B which admits the air for down-blasting through the generator A may be opened after the termination of the down steam run, and before the opening of the auxiliary stack valve l0', and thus the down-blast gases created by the passing of the air blast through the valve Il and thence downwardly through the fuel bed in the generator A pass from the bottom of the generator A through the connections H and G to the seal D for a short period. After such short down-blast run, the auxiliary stack valve l0 is opened and the products of the down-blast pass out through the stack l0.

The improved process can be worked by admitting the steam for the down or reverse gas-making run at the top of the superheater C instead of at the top of the generator A. In this case, the steam pipe 9 controlled by the valve 9 is utilized instead of the steam pipe 8 controlled by the valve 8'. Under these conditions, the gasmaking set would be operated under the wellknown back-run process of making carbureted water gas. By such operation, the steam passes from the pipe 9 into the connection G and thence into the superheater C and carbureter B in succession, whence it passes through the connection E into the top of the generator A and downwardly through the fuel bed in the operating manner before described with reference to the ordinary admission of steam through the pipe 3 to the top of the generator A. The resultant blue water gas passes from the bottom of the generator Aby connections H and G to the seal D.

The over-blasting of the fuel bed to burn blue gas and coal gas in the top of the generator A and to create additional heat therein, after the charging of a fresh batch of fuel, produces a hot,

luminous flame which heats the top'of the fuel v`bed by radiation and stores heat in the side wall of the generator A, thus improving conditions for lproper cracking of the carbureting medium sprayed upon the top of the fuel bed at the time of the up-gas-making run. Y 'Y What I claim is: 1 1. In processes of manufacturing carbureted 'water gas, in a gas-making set which includes ya generator, carbureting apparatus, a conduit connecting the generator and the carbureting appa'- ratus, and flow-direction control valves, and in 'which a known cycle of operations consists in 'first upwardly blasting the fuel bed in the generator with air admitted at the bottom of the generator` and burning the blow gases in the carbureting apparatus with air admitted to the lat- `ter and passed therethrough, then effecting a xsteam run upwardly through the fuel bedV with steam admitted at the bottom of the generator i and simultaneously spraying heavy oil upon the top of the fuel bed and passing the resultant gaseous products through the carbureting apparatus, and then effecting a steam run downwardly through the' fuel bed with steam admitted at the top of the generator and withdrawing the resultant gaseous products from the bottom of the generator, the improvements which consist, in using rsoft fuel as a preponderant percent of the generator fuel, periodically charging fresh fuel into ,the top of the generator, and after charging fresh fuel in effecting the following steps before the blasting phase of at least the first of the subsequent cycles: admitting a small amount of steam to the bottom of the generator and overblasting the fuel bed with air admitted to the generator adjacently above the fuel bed to burn in the top ofthe generator the blue water gas and the coal gas thus generated therein, thus creating additional heat in the top of the generator and insuring the carbonizing of the soft fuel charged thereinto.

2. The process, as set forth in claim 1, in which the known cycle of operations includes, subsequent to the downward steam run, a downward blasting through the fuel bed with air admitted to the top of the generator and the removal of the blast gases thus generated from the bottom of the generator.

3. The process, as set forth in claim 1, in which said admittance of a small amount of steam to the bottom of the generator is continued into and through a part of the upward air-blasting of the fuel bed.

4. The process, as set forth in claim 1, in which the admittance of a small amount of steam to the bottom of the generator is also effected through a comparatively small initial part of the upward air-blasting of the fuel bed.

,y 5. The process, as set forth in claim 1, in which the/known cycle of operations includes, subsequent to the downward steam run, a downward blasting through the fuel bed with air admitted to the top of the generator and the removal of the blast gases thus generated from the bottom of the generator, and in which during a short initial period of this downward blasting the flow-direction control valves are set to effect a downblow run.

6. In processes of manufacturing carbureted water gas, in a gas-making set which includes generator, carbureter, and superheater shells. and

. a seal, conduits connecting said shells and sealvin `the respective conduits between the superheater and the seal and the generator and the seal, and in which 4a known cycle of operations consists in `.first-upwardly blasting the fuel bed in the genrerator "with air Aadmitted at the bottom of the generator and burning the blow gases in the carbureter and superheater with air admitted at the top of the carbureter, and exhauting the waste .gases from the set, then effecting a steam run upwardly through the fuel bed with steam admitted at the ybottom of the generator and simultane- Iously'spraying heavy oil upon the top of the fuel bed, andpassing the resultant gaseous lproducts .through the carburetor and superheater to the seal, then effecting a steam run downwardlyV through the fuel bed with steam admitted at the .top of the generator and conducting the resultant gaseous products directly from the bottom ofthe 4generator to the seal, and then blasting down- :wardly .through the fuel bed with air admitted vto the top of the generator and exhausting the ,blast gases from the bottom of the generator, Ythe `improvements which consist, in using soft fuelas lapreponderant percent of the generator fuel, pe-

riodically charging fresh fuel into the top of -the fil generator. effecting the following operations subsequently tothe charging of fresh fuel and prior to the blasting phase of at least one of the .cycles immediately following: admitting a small amount of steam-to the bottom of the generator and overblasting the fue] bed with air admitted to the .generator 'adjacently above the fuel bed to burn inthe top of the generator the blue water gas and .the coal gas thus generated therein, thus creating additional heat in the top of the generator and insuring .the carbonizing of the soft fue] charged therento.

KENNETH W. STOOKEY.

REFERENCES CITED lThe y'following references are of recordin'the le Yof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURING CARBURETED WATER GAS, IN A GAS-MAKING SET WHICH INCLUDES A GENERATOR, CARBURETING APPARATUS, A CONDUIT CONNECTING THE GENERATOR AND THE CARBURETING APPARATUS, AND FLOW-DIRECTOR CONTROL VALVES, AND IN WHICH IS KNOWN CYCLE OF OPERATIONS CONSISTS IN FIRST UPWARDLY BLASTING THE FUEL BED IN THE GENERATOR WITH AIR ADMITTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GENERATOR AND BURNING THE BLOW GASES IN THE CARBURETING APPARATUS WITH AIR ADMITTED TO THE LATTER AND PASSED THERETHROUGH, THEN EFFECTING A STEAM RUN UPWARDLY THROUGH THE FUEL BED WITH STREAM ADMITTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GENERATOR AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SPRAYING HEAVY OIL UPON THE TOP OF THE FUEL BED AND PASSING THE RESULTANT GASEOUS PRODUCTS THROUGH THE CARBURETING APPARATUS, AND THEN EFFECTING A STEAM RUN DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE FUEL BED WITH STEAM ADMITTED AT THE TOP OF THE GENERATOR AND WITHDRAWING THE RESULTANT GASEOUS PRODUCTS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GENERATOR, THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH CONSIST, IN USING SOFT FUEL AS A PREPONDERANT PERCENT OF THE GENERATOR FUEL, PERIODICALLY CHARGING FRESH FUEL INTO THE TOP OF THE GENERATOR, AND AFTER CHARGING FRESH FUEL IN EFFECTING THE FOLLOWING STEPS BEFORE THE BLASTING PHASE OF AT LEAST THE FIRST OF THE SUBSEQUENT CYCLES: ADMITTING A SMALL AMOUNT OF STEAM TO THE BOTTOM OF THE GENERATOR AND OVERBLASTING THE FUEL BED WITH AIR ADMITTED TO THE GENERATOR ADJACENTLY ABOVE THE FUEL BED TO BURN IN THE TOP OF THE GENERATOR THE BLUE WATER GAS AND THE COAL GAS THUS GENERATED THEREIN, THUS CREATING ADDITIONAL HEAT IN THE TOP OF THE GENERATOR AND INSURING THE CARBONIZING OF THE SOFT FUEL CHARGED THEREINTO. 